Not surprisingly—considering his unique combination of money and moxie—Jerry Jones has also marched straight to the top of the Dallas Observer's 2008 list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Metroplex Sports. In the list's three-year history, Jones has been ranked No. 1 twice.

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50 sports bigshots

Because, if you haven't noticed, he gets what he wants, when he wants.

In the past year, Jones lured Arkansas and Texas A&M into playing their annual college football series in his new $1 billion Jonestown coliseum in Arlington, leaving Dallas' Cotton Bowl with East Central State (Oklahoma) versus Texas A&M-Commerce Division II table scraps. He's convinced Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban, long an opponent of the corporate showcase, to consider hosting an NBA All-Star Weekend in the new joint. And though no other NFL team had the balls to pursue Pacman, the old oil wildcatter jumped at the risk.

The best indicator of Jones' power: Who else could oversee a franchise without a playoff win in 12 years and unveil the most expensive ticket prices in the history of sports, only for the team to somehow re-surface with enduring popularity and be the NFC favorite to play in this year's Super Bowl?

On to the list, in descending order of power:

50. Tom Landry: The day he falls off this list is the day we all catch a flight to Hades in a wicker carry-on.

49. Adam Jones: "Pacman" or not, the volatile cornerback has the potential to derail the Cowboys' Super Bowl train.